Working In The Rain

As our sojourn in the Bahamas fades to a dim memory, we find ourselves in Maine, working up a whole new crop of memorable moments.  It's been raining non-stop for four days.  The ground is squishing and sucking boots off small feet, ruts are filling with soupy puddles, mud is our constant companion.  The homemakers here, my daughter and myself, are battling to keep mud outside and feet coming inside clean and dry...that includes the four feet of Nelson, who remains oblivious to our plight.

People back home are as excited as we are with the goings on and changes here at the Cape.  I've been besieged with requests for photos, so here you go:  a photo essay on our progress so far.

Ta Da!  The barn!!!  It has turned out so much better than we had even hoped for.  Kudos to Bill McHenry, our architect and project manager, for the great job.  Woody will be interested to see that the field of tall, jungle plants has been cleared and made into a budding lawn.  In levelling the building site, an old house foundation, a well head and a garbage dump were discovered and documented for the records.

Isn't she lovely?  Somehow this barn is very feminine in my eyes.  Enlarge by clicking on it, and you will see the blue heron on the weather vane.  We are still waiting on the ramp and 3 sets of stairs.

This is the boat storage and artist studio half of the barn.  The oak floors were finished today and now the window sills and closet doors are getting attention.  We are extremely impressed with the quality of craftsmanship being invested in our project!

This half, with all the windows and sky lights, is called the "Weaving Studio" in the blue prints.  Who will be weaving?  I will be revelling in this space, quilting to my heart's content.  We are waiting on pine floors, ceilings and dry wall here.

This little room is called "The Gallery" where we will make tea and enjoy a warm wood stove on cool days.

Across from the barn sits the new utility shed which now houses the centralized water and electricity for the property, relocated from under and inside the 100 year old Log Cabin.  I can rest easy knowing things are now according to code and much safer for us all.  Look at Mr. Jamie Gross finessing the earth mover.  He built retaining walls, dug foundations and cleared jungle with his big machines.  A grown man playing in the dirt and getting paid to do it :)

Clearing up the deadfalls from winter is way down on the list of early priorities.  

Our first renters are scheduled for the second week of June.  The Chalet is getting a face lift.  Priority number one.  We've all got paint under our fingernails and in our hair, but the Chalet is looking beautiful!

When I was told there would be "trenching" to lay new electric and water lines, I envisioned something 2.5 feet deep and 12 inches across.  This looks like a bulldozer did the job.  We've been laying down bags and bags of grass seed and fertilizer to repair the damage.  Oh my!

Speaking of damage...

The decking around the Tower had to be ripped up to access the water and electric attachments.

Another job way down the list of immediate priorities.  There will be enough work here to keep us busy all summer.

Today, priority number one is digging four feet down, and filling sonotubes with cement--footings for the balcony off the Apartment, which begins tomorrow.  Grand #3 mans the hose (read: keeps out of the way), while the big boys dig and muck and make cement.

Still gleaming with newness, our tractor is wearing its grime with pride.  What a godsend, digging thru the rocky soil like a hot knife thru butter, making tough jobs soooooo much easier, and fun too.

Meanwhile, Chrissy has taken on the annual garden and I have planted my herbs.  Woody, check out the old meadow lamp that I turned into a lantern.

In between all else that is going on, we have to keep an eye out not to miss these beauties creeping by silently in the fog.

Yes, Summer in Maine.  It all starts in the cold and rain, with the promise of sunshine, days at the beach, fishing, picnicking and beach BBQ's.  Stay tuned for more antics and annuls of the Steadfast Gang.  We are here for the whole summer, blueberry picking and all.